The Kitsune and the Huntress: A Take of Rika and R
by shanejayell
Summary: Shoujo-ai Fantasy! A AU fic, similar characters, new situation!
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this fan fiction! Nor am I profiting from this work of fiction in any way, shape or form, sadly. This is a shoujo-ai romance, featuring two female characters falling in love with each other. If you have a problem with that, please take yourself elsewhere, please. It is also an alternate universe fiction, so previous knowledge of the TV show (hopefully) isn't really needed. Thank you, and enjoy the story!

The Kitsune and the Huntress, or A tale of Rika and Renamon

Part One

Bitter smoke hung in the air inside the little hut, the fire burning the damp wood as best it could. The iron pot swung there on a hook, a pitifully thin broth made from tried meat cooking away. Nearby the older woman slid the winter cloak around the younger woman's shoulders as she said worriedly, "Please be careful, grandaughter."

Rika used a iron clasp to hold the cloak at her throat as the slim redheaded woman answered her softly, "I'll try, honored Grandmother."

"And don't do anything too terribly foolish," Grandmother sighed softly, looking up at Rika with fear in her eyes.

Rika just nodded slightly, but she didn't answer aloud. There was a soft whimpering sound and both their eyes were drawn to the restlessly sleeping figure on the bed, her face ruddy with fever. "I'll be back with some food as soon as I can," Rika said, walking to the door where she picked up her bow and arrows to stride out into the snow covered land.

Snow crunched beneath her leather and fur lined boots as Rika made her way through the village and out into the familiar woods all around it. She readied her bow, eyes darting about her as she searched even as she walked on. She knew that there was no game to be had around here, but it never hurt to be ready.

This winter was the coldest in anyone's memory, the snows coming early and hard, staying in a thik blanket on the ground. The beasts of the plain and forest gradually fled farther south, the villagers having to fall back on dried and smoked meat. But now, even that was running low and the less lucky families were forced to stretch what food they had left.

'The fever burns away mother's meals as fast as we feed her,' Rika thought to herself grimly, the woods giving way to open ground as she walked onward, 'she will die soon, if we don't get something more substantial for her to eat.'

The familiar path soon gave way to rougher terrain, Rika moving away from the usual routes to travel far from where others might go. There was a prickling to her skin as she walked, the biting chill replaced by a feeling almost like lightning in the air. Finally the young hunter stood nervously at the edge of the wild lands, her short bow shaking a bit in her hands. Even though Rika would never actually admit it to anyone, she was scared down to her very bones.

"I'm sure that I've done stupider things than this before," Rika murmured to herself, "but I can't think of even one, right now."

A shadow flickered, silently jumping through the higher tree branches to see the figure standing there, just beyond the edge of the forest. 'Well, what have we here,' it wondered, and then crouched down to wait and see what she might plan to do.

Coming from deep within the forest greenery, Rika heard the haunting cries of some of the strange and fearsome beasts that dwelled in there and shivered in both awe and a little fear. Tainted by the dark magics left over from a war long before the oldest of human memory, this place was deadly dangerous. Years ago, the occasional hunter would accept the challenge to enter here, but few of them had ever returned. Now the forest was forbidden to all, and only the most brave and foolhardy of men and women dared break that prohibition.

'I guess I qualify,' Rika thought wryly.

As quietly as she could, the tall, thin girl carefully entered the edge of the forest, Rika looking around with bright green eyes for any foolish hares or maybe a restless boar, but saw nothing in the dense brush and deep covering of snow. Oddly the forest was much warmer than outside, giving her some hope of finding siomething to bring back home with her. But every time she carelessly snapped a twig with her boot or shook a branch she winced, knowing that her prey was fleeing her and also that her arrival here had not gone unnoticed.

A silent leapt, another, then two more going higher into the darkness of the forest branches where a figure watched the girl with some concern. 'I guess I must stop her,' it thought to itself a little sadly. Careful and near silent movement brought it down to where it needed to be.

"Why do you risk venturing into these wild lands?" a cold sounding female voice suddenly asked Rika from the depths of the forest's many shadows, making her jump up in alarm. "You should know that this place, and many of the creatures that dwell within, are deadly to you and to your kind," it grimly explained, "leave here, while you still can."

Rika tensed as she looked around her wildly, then up into the trees where she thought that the voice might have come from but she saw nothing in the shadowed branches far over her head. "Maybe that's so," Rika summoned her courage to say bravely in return, "but my family will die if I do not bring something for them to eat home."

Rika stopped speaking as she suddenly wondered if this might be the legendary guardian of the forest that was speaking to her. A creature that was spoken of only in rumours and farfetched stories, it seemed that no one who had seen the guardian of the forrest saw the exact same thing. Some described a giant fox, the tips of it's nine tails burning with a bright blue flame behind it. Others said it was a tall figure dressed in a simple monk's robe, a sorceress of both great power and fearsome wisdom. And a few said it was merely a kitsune, a fox woman spirit far from her homeland, but the truth of what really guarded these lands was unknown.

"The hunting is difficult here, and the prey is very dangerous" the female voice answered her simply. "You should try seeking easier prey elsewhere," it urged her, just a faint hint of concern showing in the cold, calm voice.

Rika looked into the darkness, and thought that she saw a small flash of gold moving high up above her. "Could you help me, then?" Rika asked her wearily, feeling so terribly weak herself from the long hunger. "I would give anything, to save them," she finished softly.

"Anything," the voice echoed her word thoughtfully. There was a long silence then hesitantly, the female voice said to her, "I have been alone here in this forest for a very long time. There are no others of my kind who dwell in this place." It paused for a moment, then continued on more hurriedly, "If I watch over, protect and feed your family, would you stay here, with me?"

Rika looked up into the dark shadows, wondering just what might be hiding up there. 'If she can save my family,' she thought to herself wearily, 'it would be worth it.' Decision made Rika raised her voice to declare, "Yes, I'll stay here with you." Remaining here was a small price to pay for the sake of those that she had sworn to protect.

The figure easily leapt down from the upper branches of the trees to reach her side and Rika gasped at her in shock and surprise. The tales were true, it really was a female kitsune! The gold and white furred fox woman stood nearly a head taller than the fifteen year old girl, and moved with a supple, almost feline grace. She wore guards on her arms, each hand with two fingers and a opposing thumb, and on her long legs as well just above her large, paw like feet.

"I am called Renamon," the kitsune said to Rika simply, taking a moment to look searchingly into her eyes, looking for... something. Rika bravely met those eyes, and for a few moments it almost felt like she was falling into them.

Renamon turned away to look around her for a moment, her eyes searching, then she simply clapped her two paw like hands together loudly. Startled by the sudden noise, a boar broke from the brush and Renamon seemed to simply disappear from Rika's view! Moving as just a blur, she struck, and with a single choked cry the boar sprawled there, dead in the snow. After licking the blood from a gleaming claw, Renamon smoothly picked up the animal.

"I'm sorry, but your time is done, little one," Renamon murmured as she cradled it in her arms with a surprising gentlerness.

Rika's voice was an awed whisper, "I never even knew it was there."

Renamon gazed over at Rika, looking like some kind of savage goddess as she ordered, "Lead me to your family's home." Without another word she began down the forest path, Rika following her close behind. Rika's eyes were drawn irresistably to the white and gold tail that gracefully swayed with Renamon's every movement.

"My name is Rika," Rika said softly to her, walking quickly to keep up with Renamon's pace through the woods.

"I know," Renamon said to her simply in reply. She looked over her shoulder at the surprised Rika and smiled slightly, "Your home is near enough to the woods that I have seen and heard you, at times." Much more softly she added, "I find it comforts me, to see the life in the village as I am far away from my own home."

Rika wasn't sure what to say to that, so she remained silent. Some part of her did wonder what the village elders would do if they knew they had a kitsune peeping tom. She smiled tiredly at that thought, then shrugged when Renamon gave her an enquiring look.

Together they left the dark woods, and followed the long snowy path to eventually reach a small house that perched on the edge of the village itself. It had once been well kept, but now it was beginning to show signs of age and disrepair. Renamon knelt down, and then gently lay the dead boar at the doorstep. Standing back up, she looked away from Rika, and in the fading sunlight she seemed so strangely beautiful, and also very, very alone.

"You may stay here, if you wish." Renamon said to Rika softly.

"But, what about our agreement?" a slightly bewildered Rika asked her.

Renamon quickly continued on, "I would not hold you to a promise you made under duress." She looked ready to walk away right then and there, only to be stopped as she felt the gentle touch of Rika's hand laying on her arm.

Rika looked up at the fox-woman; the long, lean, fur covered body, fox like head and long, tail, and felt something that she didn't fully comprehend. She was very alone too, in her own way. Rika loved her family and knew they loved her, but they were both weavers, crafts people, and did not understand the hunter who lived in their midst.

Looking up at Renamon, Rika found the words spilled from her lips so very easily, "Please, I think..." she hesitated then finished, "I would like to go stay with you."

Renamon turned back to Rika, her face happy, but then it suddenly darkened with grave concern. Rika swayed there weakly a moment, then finally crumpled as hunger, exhaustion and days of stress finally caught up with her. Renamon quickly moved to prevent her from falling, then gently cradled Rika in her arms. Rika smiled up at her sleepily, and without thinking about it snuggled into the warmth of Renamon's fur.

"So nice," Rika murmured before sleep claimed her.

Renamon held the girl to her closely, kicked out once with a powerful leg and loudly thumped the door, then she was gone. Rika safely in her arms, the kitsune seemed to fly down the trail and disappeared into the dark safety of the forest.

After a moment the door opened, and Rika's grandmother looked out worriedly into the twilight. She saw the dead boar, and her eyes lit up with happiness and gratitude. Swiftly dragging it inside, she looked over at her daughter, sick abed with a high fever.

"Thank you, Rika," Grandmother said softly. Then with growing concern in her voice she asked, "But where have you gone?"


	2. Chapter Two

The Kitsune and the Huntress, or A tale of Rika and Renamon

Part Two

Almost as soon as Renamon entered the forest, she leapt up into the high branches to keep away from the many dangerous beasts that dwelt on the ground below. She jumped quickly from tree branch to branch, her motion barely disturbing the snow covered leaves until she finally reached a secluded part of the forest.

She leapt down to the ground nearby a large hill and then Renamon smoothly pulled open a well concealed entrance. Once she was certain they were unobseved she carefully carried Rika down the long descending passageway into her underground den, firmly closing the enterance behind them. It was warm in the cavern, the air sweet but she was only concerned with the fragile form she carried.

Renamon gently undressed Rika first, setting aside battered, dirty garments then carefully laid her down on a soft bed of tanned furs. She looked with fear and concern how bone thin Rika was, thinking to herself, 'First some rest, then I need to feed her.' Renamon sniffed slightly and smiled, "Not to mention a bath." Renamon smoothly knelt down there, then she lay down beside her even as Rika curled instinctively into her comforting warmth.

Renamon looked over at the sleeping girl beside her thoughtfully, and let herself remember. Hiding in the shadows Renamon had gone to watch the village when her loneliness became too much to bear, needing to be in the presence of others, even ones so different than she was. She had often seen Rika from the safety and shelter of the forest, when Rika was living in her small village. The girl had seemed angry, and strangely alone, even when she was with her Mother and Grandmother. Renamon had found herself coming back to watch her again and again over the fall, and felt something, some kind of bond developing with the young girl.

Rika was a huntress and a fighter, but she lived in a village that was made up of only crafters and healers. The others seemed to watch her with a great deal of astonishment, confusion and often anger. Renamon watched the furor when Rika flatly refused a betrothal to the young man, Rio and could almost sense the girl's pain and confusion. Feeling Rika move against her slightly brought Renamon back to the present and the girl laying beside her.

When she had looked into Rika's dark eyes, Renamon had seen such great pain and a deep loneliness. It had reminded her of her own situation, being so far from home and her blood kin. 'Maybe together,' she thought, looking down at the red haired girl, gently ruffling the red hair, 'we can help ease each other's loneliness.'

"I would be here for you, Rika," Renamon whispered softly to the still deeply sleeping girl, "if you will let me." With those words, she gently pulled the furs up around them both and tried to get some sleep as well.

Rika began to stir, the sweet scent of cooking food bringing her slowly but surely back to conciousness. She sat up in bed then blushed faintly and moved to cover her nudity as she realized that her dirty clothes were missing.

"I cleaned off your garments," Renamon soft voice came from the shadows and Rika started, not having heard her footsteps.

Renamon walked nearly silently into the room, using that same sort of grace she had in the dark forest, carrying a steaming wooden cup in her hands. Still, there was something different about her, a sense of relaxation in this strange place they were in. She smoothly knelt down beside where Rika sat up on the bed and gently placed the cup to her lips, a hand supporting Rika's back.

Renamon gently instructed, "Drink it down slowly, please. You're still very weak, and I do not wish to make you sick."

Rika sipped carefully and found the richly made soup tasted wonderful, then gently pushed the cup away to smile and say, "Thank you very much."

Renamon didn't say anything, she just smiled back at her and Rika marveled at how easily she could read the kitsune's face. Rika looked around her, marveling at the size of the chamber that she lay in. The roof was nearly twice as high as Renamon was tall, and the walls were hung with many furs or painted with patterns or scenes of the outside world. Soft candlelight gave the room a mysterious feel, and openings lead into other rooms.

"You are very welcome," Renamon said simply. Rika shook weakly, and Renamon gently slipped an arm around her to help hold her up. "You still have a bit of fever," Renamon noted, "but your body is already fighting it off." She offered Rika a robe, smiling.

With a bit of assistance, Rika slipped it on. "This place is wonderful!" Rika exclaimed with a smile. She was so weak that she got tangled up in the sleeping furs, and laughed as Renamon helped her up. "And it's gigantic!"

"I'll show you around, then. This is the bedroom," Renamon said, gesturing around the room they were standing in. She took Rika's hand and led her gently from the pile of furs. There were four other rooms, of which Renamon showed Rika three, a large study, rough kitchen, and large storehouse. The other room was the only one with a real wooden door, which Renamon pulled open easily. "And finally, the bath," Renamon said with a smile. She led Rika down a carved stone stairway, until they reached a rock cavern with a volcanic heated pool.

"Not bad," Rika said, trying not to show how delighted she was by it. Renamon led her over to one end of the pool, softly explaining that it was the cooler end, away from the volcanic vent that heated the water and provided warmth for the den itself. Rika hissed a bit, but soon relaxed in the warmth of the slowly flowing water.

Renamon smiled as she watched Rika for a few minutes, then rose with a smile. "Rika, I need to leave you for a little while," she said, "but you will be safe here. The entrance way is protected by traps, and no one has ever succeeded in breaking in."

Rika looked up at her a moment then she nodded, accepting what Renamon said. "Just be back soon," Rika said to her softly, as she watched Renamon's sleek form walk gracefully up the steps to the bed chamber above.

Renamon swiftly made her way through the bedroom then up and out of the hidden exit passage. She bounced between the trees towards the very edge of the forest, then swooped down to pounce on something that was running across the snow covered field. She struck out once, cleanly, and in a moment the hare was dead.

"You will help another survive," Renamon told the dead animal softly.

She gently carried it with her until she reached the familiar looking little home. In the safety of the shadows, she saw the grandmother tending to the other woman, Rika's mother, who looked much better than she had before. Renamon set the rabbit down by the door, tapped on it once, and then was gone before anyone could react.

As Renamon left she could hear the door open, pausing a moment to observe from the shadows. "More meat," Rika's Grandmother said, looking out over the snow covered ground. There were no footprints left, no visible trace of any presence having ever been there. "Oh Rika," she whispered to herself softly, 'what on Earth is going on?"

Satisfied they were all right Renamon swiftly made her way home, entering the chamber and smiling at the sight of Rika sitting happily atop the bed furs. "It's about time you got here," a very clean and toasty warm looking Rika said to Renamon cheerfully, carefully sipping another mug full of the delicious tasting hot soup.

Renamon laughed softly, smiling over at Rika. "I see you found the kitchen then," Renamon said, looking at the mug.

Rika was fully dressed, and had a broad smile on her face. "Thank you for the new boots, by the way," Rika said, holding up one of her feet encased in snug, supple leather.

"I'm glad you like them," Renamon said as she walked over to Rika's side. "They will allow you to move much more silently through the woods," Renamon finished. She had to fight the urge to laugh at the wounded look that Rika gave her.

"I'm not that bad at it," a blushing Rika said, looking down into her half full cup before taking another drink. She looked towards the study with such a look of intense longing on her face it brought forth a soft chuckle from Renamon.

"Why don't you go in and look around?" Renamon asked her curiously as she settled down to sit beside the girl.

Rika held up her mug in explaination. "Mother taught me scrolls and drinks do not mix," she said smiling. "But where did you get so many of them?" Rika asked Renamon eagerly. Just looking through the door there were more scrolls than she had seen in her life!

"In the land I come from, reading is very common. Out here, however...," Renamon said, and then gave a helpless shrug.

Renamon showed Rika around the study, the many racks of scrolls in their cases and how they were sorted. Rika pulled one down, unrolling it just a bit to read the first few lines, then reverently put it back. Looking around curiously, Rika's eyes lit up where she saw a popular strategy game sitting there on a table as well.

"I almost think I've died and gone to heaven," Rika finally sighed. As she and Renamon pulled down various scrolls, Rika was again struck by Renamon's fierce beauty. Her face was so alive and animated, as she talked about some of the scrolls with such passionate intensity that Rika nearly forgot that Renamon wasn't human.

In the days following after that soon fell into a regular pattern. Rika and Renamon woke up together in the mornings and one of them would get up to cook their breakfast. Renamon would leave for awhile then shortly return to Rika's side.

The rest of the morning and into the midafternoon they both spent out in the woods, where Renamon taught Rika the numerous secrets of woods craft as well as exploring and protecting the wild lands together. She soon learned of Renamon's many magical gifts including her greatest talent: the power of transformation.

With the aid of another's spirit, Renamon could change her form into one of two others. The giant fox Kyubimon was one, and the robed mystic Taomon was another, each with their own special powers and unique abilities. Quite strangely, with Rika's willing aid she could transform much easier than she had ever been able to before.

"It's very strange," Renamon said to her softly some weeks after Rika'a arrival, "for among my kind it is exceedingly rare to find one whom you have such a deep connection." She smiled at Rika, "You grant me great strength, Rika, thank you."

Rika blushed as she said, "I feel the connection, too, sometimes." The blush darkened, and she quickly changed the subject.

The evenings were spent down in the den, where they would talk for hours, read and play many different games of strategy with each other. They would eat, and Renamon would go out again. Once she came back, they would soon retire to their fur covered bed.

And each and every day on those trips that she took alone, Renamon would deliver fresh meat for breakfast and dinner to Rika's family, in accordance to the vow that she had made to Rika. She also kept watch over them and anyone that dared cause them any trouble soon learned to deeply regret it. Rika herself did not speak of, or even ask about, her family, but Renamon knew that the young woman thought of them often.

Together, they would shadow the few hunters who were brave or mad enough to dare to come into the woods. As thay shepherd them from the more unusual dangers hidden there, from time to time, one of them would catch a glimpse of Rika or Renamon.

Soon, some tall tales of 'Rika's Ghost' began to circulate in many of the nearby villages and the small towns beyond the forest, to both of their amusement. But Rika realized that the tales would eventually reach her family and cause them a great deal of pain. Finally, half a year after they had first met, when the summer sun finally began to win out over the dark rainclouds of spring, Rika came to Renamon with a question.

"Would it be all right," Rika softly began, "if I could go home for a day or so? I wonder how my family is, and I want them to know that I'm well and safe."

"Of course you can," Renamon said tentatively, knowing that this time would someday come "if you wish, we can go tomorrow morning." She looked deeply worried, troubled by the painful knowledge that Rika might not choose to return to her.

As if she was reading Renamon's mind, Rika smiled brightly and firmly said "Of course I'm coming back, you dope!"

Renamon looked at her in surprise, then laughed softly. "Do not be so sure Rika," Renamon cautioned her. "Family can be difficult to refuse."

"Maybe," Rika said intensely, looking up to meet Renamon's eyes "but I consider you to be part of my family as well."


	3. Chapter Three

The Kitsune and the Huntress, or A tale of Rika and Renamon

Part Three

Early the next morning Renamon walked with Rika to the edge of the forest, and when she stopped they stood there a moment to quietly talk. "Thank you, for what you said to me yesterday," Renamon said to Rika softly. A shaft of sunlight broke through the thick branches, illuminating Renamon and making her fur seem to glitter gold.

"You were awfully quiet after I said it," Rika said. She smiled shyly up at Renamon as she admitted, "I was a bit worried I offended you, or something."

Renamon placed her hand on Rika's shoulder to smile at her gently. As she looked down at her, Renamon realized that the bone thin girl she had met more than a year ago was almost gone. Rika loked healthy and well, her red hair had grown out a bit, tied back into a long ponytail. She had flesh on her bones, her arms grown muscled and strong from helping Renamon with her tasks. But it was the eyes that showed the greatest change in her. The anger that had once seemed to fill them was gone, and they seemed much more at peace.

"No," a quiet Renamon said, shaking her head firmly, "I just didn't know what to say." She smiled slightly before admitting, "I still don't." Renamon looked deeply into Rika's eyes, unsure of what she was trying to look for. "I will miss you, Rika," Renamon whispered.

"And I you," Rika said, her voice choked and a single tear gleaming at the corner of her eye. With a careful caress by a single finger Renamon lightly brushed it away, and then she silently disappeared into the safety of the forest.

Rika stood there for a minute or two and watched her go, wishing that she had been able to say something more. Then with a small, soft sigh she turned around to follow the path to the house that she had left so very long ago.

'I don't think of it as my home anymore,' Rika came to that realization a little sadly, 'Renamon's den is home to me now.; She sadly shook her head, more than a bit worried. 'And if Renamon grows tired of me, what will I do then?' Rika wondered.

Over the past few months, Rika had slowly felt something new growing deep inside of her, a powerful emotion. Beyond the simple gratitude that she had felt at first, Rika had begun to feel love for the remote and intense kitsune. But she didn't know how Renamon felt about her.

Rika looked up and with a faint blush realized she had walked right by the house, she was so lost in her thoughts. Rika was just a little surprised, when she finally saw it. The roof was repaired, the spring garden around it alive with green, and the newly painted walls shone in the morning's light. The only out of place thing was a slight stain of dark red on the bottom of the front door. She raised her hand, hesitated, then knocked on it firmly.

The door opened up and Rika found herself looking into her Mother's suddenly bone pale face. "Rika?" she whispered softly in pure disbelief. Then with a happy shout she threw her arms around the taller girl as she cried, "Rika! You're back! Oh, where have you been?"

Rika held her weeping mother in her arms, gently patting her on the back and trying to reassure the sobbing woman as much as she could manage. As her Grandmothger came out to join them Rika was also a bit surprised to see how much taller she was than both her Mother and Grandmother were.

'I guess it must be because of Renamon's care,' Rika thought to herself with a little smile, 'all the good food and exercise I've gotten.'

Her Grandmother smiled up at her, and extended her slighly shaking arms for a hug, too. Rika's Mom set her free, so she moved into her Grandmother's comfortable embrace. She held Rika close, then repeated her daughter's question: "Where have you been?"

"I've been living with the kitsune of the forest," Rika answered them a short time later, sitting in a comfy chair and sipping a big cup of tea in front of the blazing hearthfire. With a odd feeling of sadness, she suddenly realized that she'd much rather be sitting on the bed with Renamon drinking a hot mug of her soup instead.

"With the kitsune? But why?!" Rika's mother asked her worriedly, wringing her long apron between her two hands.

"Because of a promise that I had made to her," Rika said, intentionally not mentioning Renamon's offer to free her from that vow. With a few interruptions for questions from her frantic Mother, Rika told the tale of that winter's hunt. "Renamon, the kitsune, has taken good care of me ever since then and I think has kept her part of the bargain, as well," she said as she saw her Grandmother's thoughtful expression.

Rika's Grandmother nodded her head in agreement, "The fresh kills, every morning and evening. That must have been her, then."

"Could she be holding you captive, using some kind of spell or enchantment?" Rika's mother asked with a frown.

Rika shook her head, firmly. "Why let me come back here at all, then? If I was under some kind of enchantment, I doubt I would even want to."

"This kitsune, Renamon," Rika's Grandmother asked her curiously as she saw the look on Rika's face "what is she like?"

Rika's eyes shone with happiness as she talked, her face lighting up as she told them of her and Renamon's time together, the many adventures they had shared and always about how she cared about her. Her Grandmother listened to Rika quietly, and her smile slowly grew. Later that evening, Rika's mother and Grandmother talked softly after she went to bed.

"What do you think?" her Mother asked her Grandmother worriedly. She still suspected some dark enchantment held her daughter, but she wasn't sure.

Grandmother smiled ruefully , "If she's under a spell, it's only one of love. Prepare yourself for a kitsune daughter-in-law, daughter."

Mother's eyes widened. "You don't mean she's a..."

"Of course," Grandmother answered, giving her daughter a 'my, you're dumb' look. "It seems to me you have only two choices; you can accept this, and hopefully gain a kitsune daughter, or fight it and likely loose Rika."

Mother looked like she was fighting an difficult inner battle, then she slumped with a small sigh, "It was a lot easier when I was younger." She pointedly ignored Grandmother's quiet snort of amusement at that.

Early the next morning, Grandmother drew Rika aside and asked her, "Have you told your Renamon about how you feel about her?"

"What," Rika squeaked out, looking over at her in surprise.

Grandmother decided to take that as a no. "From what you said, you care for her a great deal," she said to Rika leadingly, and waited for a response.

Rika just nodded quickly, a flaming blush appearing on her face. "I do love her," Rika said nervously, "but I don't know how she feels about me."

"Well, there's only one way for you to find that out," her Grandmother said to Rika with an encouraging smile.

"I don't think I approve of this," Rika's Mother said firmly and then she suddenly smiled to Rika wryly. "But I do wish you well. Bring her over here one day, I'd like to meet this Renamon," she said with a small smile on her face.

Later that morning Rika left the hut carrying a satchel full of breads and cheeses under her arm and walked briskly back towards the safety of her forest home. The sun was shining above her, the flowers were coming into bloom and Rika felt secure in knowing exactly where she most wanted to be.

Renamon there stood anxiously waiting at the edge of the wood and smiled in honest relief as she saw Rika finally approaching. As soon as Rika saw Renamon waiting there she broke into a run and then jumped right up into the surprised looking Renamon's welcoming arms.

Renamon held her fiercely close, twirling her about happily. Rika looked up and was surprised to see tears at the corners of the kitsune's eyes. "Oh, Rika! I feared you would not be allowed to return to me," Renamon admitted a bit tearfully. Rika reached up to gently wipe at her eyes, she hadn't understood before now how much her leaving had worried Renamon.

"Thank you for letting me go," Rika said, actually crying a bit herself. She then grinned at Renamon, "I come bearing gifts! Bread and cheese."

Renamon smiled a bit, "Cheese is one of the few things I miss, living in the forest with you." She paused a bit, "Rika, are you... staying?"

Rika wrapped her arms around Renamon's neck and broke into tears against her shoulder. Renamon looked very discomforted, and Rika couldn't resist the urge to laugh through the tears. "I think," Rika said, smiling up at the mildly stunned looking Renamon, "I had to see where I had been, before I could decide to go forward."

Renamon looked hopefully into Rika's eyes, and gently hugged her more firmly. "Forward, with me?" Renamon asked her tentatively.

A grinning Rika nodded to her happily. "I love you, Renamon," Rika cried out joyfully, and then she kissed her.

They drew back, and a broadly smiling Renamon said "I love you too, Rika." She chuckled a bit, softly, and Rika gave her a odd look. "I just could never say it," she admitted. She pulled Rika in to another sweet kiss.

They stood there together, holding each other close. Rika smiled a bit as she pressed her cheek to Renamon's own softly furred one. "My mother wants to meet you," she said softly, and waited for the likely response.

"What?!" Renamon replied, and for the first time since they met, the kitsune looked honestly afraid of something. Or in this case someone.

Rika couldn't help it. She just laughed.

The End

Author's Notes:

The basic idea for this came from various sources, including quite a bit of 'Beauty and the Beast'. I was also inspired, or irritated, by stories where the hero or heroine falls in love with a magical creature, but then ultimately chooses to return to their boring normal life. That always struck me as a bit unfair to the poor magical character who fell in love with them, so I decided to write something in that style with a more happy ending.

So why did I pair up Rika and Renamon? Well, their relationship in Digimon series three has always seemed to be a little different, compared to the other digimon and their tamers. They start out more like allies than actual friends, only growing closer over time, not unlike how a real world couple would develop their relationship.

At one point, Rika says to Renamon: "What really impresses me is how heroic you look, standing in the moonlight," and in the original Japanese version she actually comments on how strong and beautiful Renamon is. She may not have intended anything romantic in that but it certainly implies something....

Later on in the season when Renamon first meets Rika's Grandmother, she kneels down and then pledges to her "I'll protect her with my life." More like a knight in armor than a digimon. Very much to Rika's great surprise!

Of course, after seeing how they ended season three, I was hopping mad, literally! Rika actually told Renamon that she loves her right before Renamon got sucked back into the digital world! Grrrr! I was also pretty irritated by the totally gratuitous attempt to pair Rika up with Rio, despite her obvious dislike for the guy!

I tried to work in a mention of Renamon's digivolved forms without messing up the fantasy plotline too much and I'm not quite sure if it works. I though about having Renamon giving Rika a magic charm (aka digivice) to help the transformations but decided that it would be way too hokey even for me. I will probably contine to tinker with that bit...

I've done my second set of revisions and rewritten a bit more, added a few paragraphs here and there and tried adding some more description. Rika now has a reason to go home other than pure homesickness, and I've spelled out Renamon's job a bit more. The homecoming is also a bit longer, and I've tried to clarify the growing romance between them.

Yet another Mercedes Lackey reference! Go through all my stories and collect them all! Laughs. The 'wild lands' was inspired by the 'uncleansed lands' in the Mage Winds trilogy (Winds of Fate, Change and Fury). Renamon serves a similar role to the Tayledras from the novels, working to clean up the magical equivalent of toxic waste, as well as protecting any innocent bystanders who wander in there.


End file.
